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Using Spices for Flavorful Meals

Full of flavor, spices come mostly from tropical lands, while herbs grow in more moderate climates. They may even grow in your own backyard or window box. Spices and herbs add two important ingredients to dishes: aroma and taste. They make food taste good and smell wonderful, and they can enhance the visual appeal of your meals as well.

What’s the Difference Between Herbs and Spices?

Herbs are the leaves of plants and are used either fresh or dried.

Spices are the aromatic buds, fruits, berries, roots, or bark of plants and are usually dried.

One plant may produce both an herb and a spice. For example: Coriander seeds are a spice used in curries and chili powder; the leaves of the same plant are known as cilantro, an herb often used in Mexican and Asian cooking.

Add the Flair of Seasonings to Your Food

When you start adding herbs and spices, you may be amazed at what you’ve been missing. They have many advantages over salt. Spices and herbs can be used alone or in combinations to provide an almost infinite variety of flavors; salt is only one seasoning. Not only do herbs and spices add aroma and taste to your food, they add the freshest flavors possible.